november 18, 2019 overview · 20 ahmed hassan yousef al-kurdi male 28 killed in an idf attack on...
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)מ"למ( ןיעידומה תשרומל זכרמה רורטלו ןיעידומל עדימה זכרמ
)מ"למ( ןיעידומה תשרומל זכרמה רורטלו ןיעידומל עדימה זכרמ
)מ"למ( ןיעידומה תשרומל זכרמה רורטלו ןיעידומל עדימה זכרמ
)מ"למ( ןיעידומה תשרומל זכרמה רורטלו ןיעידומל עדימה זכרמ
Overview On November 12-14, 2019, a round of escalation took place in the Gaza Strip following the
killing of Bahaa Abu al-Atta, a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). In
response to his killing, the PIJ fired about 560 rockets to Israeli territory. The IDF attacked
terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, mostly belonging to the PIJ. Among the attacked targets
were rocket launching squads before and after a launch; rocket launching sites; weapons
depots; a plant for manufacturing long-distance rockets; training compounds; outposts;
operations rooms and observation posts, as well as underground facilities of the PIJ.
Photo of Bahaa Abu al-Atta published on the website of the PIJ’s military wing. The text underneath his photo reads, “The campaign continues and the account is open”
(Al-Quds Brigades website, November 17, 2019).
Identity of the Palestinian fatalities in the latest
round of escalation in the Gaza Strip (findings of a preliminary examination)
November 18, 2019
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The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported that 34 Palestinians had been
killed in the latest round of escalation (with Bahaa Abu al-Atta and his wife among them).
From within the 34 killed Palestinians, at least 18 (about 53%) were identified as military
operatives, most of them (13) operatives of the PIJ’s military wing, who were the targets
in most of the attacks. In addition, several fatalities were identified as belonging to minor
terror networks, most of them operatives of Fatah splinter networks who took part in firing at
Israel. Among the fatalities, there was a prominent number of operatives of the rocket
launching network, who were killed while attempting to fire at Israel (which is an
indication of the efficiency of the Israeli security forces in thwarting the firing attacks). In
addition, nine civilians were killed, most of them members of one family in Deir al-Balah,
whose home was attacked by the IDF as a result of mistaken identification (the case is under
an IDF examination). A Hamas military operative was also killed, and another operative
affiliated with Hamas. The large number of PIJ operatives who were killed reflects its central
role in the last round of escalation (while Hamas refrained from joining the fighting).
Following are the main findings of a preliminary examination of the identity of the fatalities:
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ): A total of 13 fatalities were identified as PIJ
operatives, all of them operatives of the PIJ’s military wing (prominent among
them was the number of operatives killed during attempts to fire rockets at Israel).
Hamas: Two Hamas operatives were identified. One of them was identified as an
operative of Hamas’s military wing. Another operative is either affiliated with Hamas
or a member of a family affiliated with Hamas (his body was wrapped in the Hamas
flag).
Fatah splinter networks: Three fatalities were identified as operatives of the Al-
Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade (a Fatah splinter network which
apparently actively participated in the fighting).
Fatah: Two fatalities were identified as Fatah members.
Popular Resistance Committees (PRC): Two operatives were identified as PRC
operatives who apparently actively participated in the fighting.
Non-identified: Regarding three of the fatalities, so far it was not possible to
unequivocally determine whether they were terrorist operatives or civilians.
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Civilians: At least nine civilians were killed in the attack. Seven of them were killed
in an attack in Deir al-Balah as a result of mistaken identification of the house that was
attacked.
Summary of the identity of the fatalities (according to the ITIC's initial examination)
Organization Military wing Affiliated with the organization
Total killed
PIJ 13, including Bahaa al-Atta
13
Hamas One military wing operative
Two affiliated with Hamas
2
Fatah
Two (one of them was identified as former member of Force 17 – the Presidential Guard)
2
PRC Two military wing operatives
2
Fatah splinter groups
Three operatives of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade
3
Non-identified 3
3
Civilians Nine (including the wife of Bahaa al-Atta)
9
Total 34 fatalities
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Basic information on the fatalities (findings of a preliminary examination)
Name Gender Age Circumstances of death
Organizational affiliation
1 Bahaa Salim Hassan Abu al-
Atta (Abu Salim)
Male 42 Died in a targeted killing on November
12, 2019, at his home in Al-Shejaiyah
The PIJ’s military wing
2 Ibrahim Ahmed Abdul Latif al-
Dabous
Male 26 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019
The PIJ’s military wing
3 Zaki Adnan Mohammad Ghanameh
Male 25 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019
The PIJ’s military wing
4 Abdullah Awad Sakib al-Bilbeisi
Male 26 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019
The PIJ’s military wing
5 Abdul Salam Ramadan Ahmed
Ahmed
Male 28 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019
The PIJ’s military wing
6 Khaled Moawad Salem Farraj
Male 38 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019
The PIJ’s military wing
7 Ala Jabr Abdul Shteiwi
Male 30 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019
The PIJ’s military wing
8 Suhail Khader Khalil Quneitah
Male 28 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Tuffah
The PIJ’s military wing
9 Mahmoud Daham
Mahmoud Huthot
Male 19 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Tuffah
The PIJ’s military wing
10 Momen Mohammed
Salman Qaddum
Male 26 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Shejaiyah
The PIJ’s military wing
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Mohammed Abdullah Suleiman Shurrab
Male 28 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Khan Younes
The PIJ’s military wing
12 Haitham Hafez Mohammed al-
Bakri
Male 22 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019,
The PIJ’s military wing
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in Khan Younes 13 Yousef Rizk
Khalil Abu Kamil Male 35 Killed in an IDF
attack on November 13, 2019,
in Al-Tuffah
The PIJ’s military wing
14 Islam Raafat Mohammed Ayad
Male 24 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Zeitoun
Affiliated with Hamas. His body was wrapped in the Hamas flag
15 Amir Raafat Mohammed Ayad
Male 7 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Zeitoun
Boy
16 Ibrahim Ayman Fathi Abdel Aal
Male 17 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, in Al-Tuffah
Non-identified
17 Ismail Ayman Fathi Abdel Aal
Male 16 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Tuffah
Non-identified
18 Ahmed Ayman Fathi Abdel Aal
Male 23 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Tuffah
Hamas’s military wing
19 Mohammed Hassan
Mohammed Moammar
Male 25 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in east Rafah
Popular Resistance
Committees’ military wing
20 Ahmed Hassan Yousef al-Kurdi
Male 28 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, in east Rafah
Popular Resistance
Committees’ military wing
21 Mohammed Attia Musleh Hamouda
Male 20 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, in west Beit Lahiya
Affiliated with Fatah
22 Raafat Mohammed
Salman Ayad
Male 54 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 13, 2019, in Al-Zeitoun
Former officer in Fatah’s Force 17
(Presidential Guard)
23 Wael Abdul Aziz Abdullah Abdul
Nabi
Male 43 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, in Beit Lahiya
Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades / Nidal
al-Amoudi Brigade (Fatah
splinter
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network) 24 Rani Fayez
Ragab Abu Nasr (Abu Osama)
Male 35 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, in Beit Lahiya
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades / Nidal
al-Amoudi Brigade (Fatah
splinter network)
25 Jihad Ayman Ahmed Abu
Khater
Male 22 Killed in an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, in Beit Lahiya
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades / Nidal
al-Amoudi Brigade (Fatah
splinter network)
26 Asma Mohammed
Hassan Abu Atta
Female 39 Bahaa Abu al-Atta’s wife; died in his targeted killing
Civilian
27 Rasmi Salem Odeh al-
Sawarkah (also referred to as
Rasmi Abu Malhous)
Male 45 Killed by mistake in an attack on the
house of Abu Malhous in Deir al-
Balah
Unclear whether affiliated with
the PIJ or Fatah
28 Maryam Salem Nasser al-Sawarkah
Female 45 Killed by mistake in an attack on the
house of Abu Malhous in Deir al-
Balah
Civilian
29 Yousra Mohammed Awwad al-Sawarkah
Female 39 Killed by mistake in an attack on the house in Deir al-
Balah
Civilian
30 Muath Mohammed
Salem al-Sawarkah
Male 7 Killed by mistake in an attack on the house in Deir al-
Balah
Civilian
31 Wasim Mohammed
Salem al-Sawarkah
Male 13 Killed by mistake in an attack on the house in Deir al-
Balah
Civilian
32 Muhannad Rasmi Salem Al-Sawarkah
Male 12 Killed by mistake in an attack on the house in Deir al-
Balah
Boy
33 Firas Rasmi al-Sawarkah
Male Boy Killed by mistake in an attack on the house in Deir al-
Balah
Boy
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34 Salem Rasmi al-Sawarkah
Male Boy Killed by mistake in an attack on the house in Deir al-
Balah
Boy
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Appendix A Identification of the names of the Palestinian fatalities in the last round of escalation PIJ fatalities
Bahaa Salim Abu al-Atta (Abu Salim):
Personal information: 42 years old
Circumstances of death: Died on November 12, 2019, in a targeted killing by the IDF
in the house where he was staying in the eastern neighborhood of Al-Shejaiyah in Gaza
City.
Organizational affiliation: Senior operative of the Al-Quds Brigades, the PIJ’s
military wing. Served as the Northern Brigade Commander of the PIJ’s military wing in
the Gaza Strip.
Bahaa Abu al-Atta, PIJ’s Northern Brigade Commander in the Gaza Strip (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 12, 2019)
Bahaa Abu al-Atta’s funeral in Gaza (Facebook page of the Gazan journalist Hassan Aslih, November 12, 2019)
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Ibrahim Ahmed Abdul Latif al-Dabous:
Personal information: 26 years old
Circumstances of death: Died of wounds sustained during an IDF attack on
November 12, 2019, that targeted two operatives riding a motorcycle in western Beit
Lahiya.
Organizational affiliation: The PIJ’s military wing, Al-Quds Brigades, announced
that Ibrahim Ahmed al-Dabous had been an operative in the rocket unit of the
Northern Brigade in the Gaza Strip (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 12, 2019).
Ibrahim al-Dabous wearing the Al-Quds Brigades uniform. It was stated that he was an operative of the rocket unit (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 12, 2019)
Zaki Adnan Mohammad Ghanameh:
Personal information: 25 years old
Circumstances of death: On November 12, 2019, an IDF aircraft attacked several
operatives of the PIJ rocket unit in the northern Gaza Strip. The operatives were
preparing to launch rockets (IDF’s Twitter account, November 12, 2019). The
Palestinian media reported that the attack targeted a group of “resistance” operatives
in Beit Lahiya (Maan, November 12, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The PIJ’s military wing announced that Zaki Adnan
Mohammad Ghanameh had been an operative in the rocket unit of the Northern
Brigade in the Gaza Strip (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 12, 2019).
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Zaki Ghanameh, operative of the rocket unit of the Al-Quds Brigades (Filastin al-Aan Twitter account, November 12, 2019)
Abdullah Awad Sakib al-Bilbeisi:
Personal information: 26 years old
Circumstances of death: An IDF aircraft attacked two PIJ operatives in the northern
Gaza Strip who were preparing to launch rockets (IDF’s Twitter account, November
12, 2019). The Gaza Strip Ministry of Health reported his death as a result of an airstrike
by a UAV in Beit Hanoun (QudsN, November 12, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The PIJ’s military wing announced that he had been an
operative in the Gaza Strip’s Northern Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November
12, 2019).
Abdullah al-Bilbeisi, operative of the Al-Quds Brigades (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 12, 2019)
Abdul Salam Ramadan Ahmed Ahmed:
Personal information: 28 years old
Circumstances of death: An IDF aircraft attacked two PIJ operatives in the northern
Gaza Strip who were preparing to launch rockets (IDF’s Twitter account, November
12, 2019). The Gaza Strip Ministry of Health reported his death as a result of an airstrike
by a UAV in Beit Hanoun (QudsN, November 12, 2019).
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Organizational affiliation: The PIJ’s military wing announced that he had been an
operative in the Gaza Strip’s Northern Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November
12, 2019).
Abdul Salam Ramadan Ahmed Ahmed, operative of the Al-Quds Brigades (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 12, 2019)
Khaled Moawad Salem Farraj:
Personal information: 38 years old
Circumstances of death: He was killed in an attack on November 13, 2019, in the
Magharaqa area (south of Gaza City) (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The PIJ’s military wing announced that he had been one
of its commanders in the Central Brigade of the Gaza Strip (Al-Quds Brigades website,
November 13, 2019).
Khaled Farraj (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 13, 2019)
Ala Jabr Shteiwi:
Personal information: 30 years old
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Circumstances of death: He was killed in an attack on November 13, 2019, in the Al-
Zeitoun neighborhood in east Gaza City (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13,
2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative in the PIJ military wing’s Gaza
Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
Ala Shteiwi (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Suhail Khader Khalil Quneitah:
Personal information: 28 years old (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Circumstances of death: He was killed in an attack on November 13, 2019, in the Al-
Tuffah neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human
Rights, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative in the PIJ military wing’s Gaza
Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
Suhail Quneitah (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
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Mahmoud Daham Mahmoud Huthot:
Personal information: 19 years old (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Circumstances of death: He was killed in an attack on November 13, 2019, in the Al-
Tuffah neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human
Rights, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative in the PIJ military wing’s Gaza
Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
Mahmoud Huthot (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Momen Mohammad Salman Qaddum:
Personal information: 26 years old (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an airstrike while
riding a motorcycle in the neighborhood of Al-Shejaiyah in east Gaza City. A man who
was riding with him was severely wounded (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human
Rights, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative in the PIJ military wing’s Gaza
Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
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Momen Qaddum (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Mohammad Abdullah Suleiman Shurrab:
Personal information: 28 years old (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack in the Al-
Manarah neighborhood in Khan Younes (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13,
2019). According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, an IDF aircraft attacked several
operatives of the rocket unit of the PIJ in the southern Gaza Strip while they were
launching rockets (IDF’s Twitter account, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative of the PIJ military wing’s Khan
Younes Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
Mohammad Shurrab (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Haitham Hafez Mohammed al-Bakri:
Personal information: 22 years old (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
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Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack in the Al-
Manarah neighborhood in Khan Younes (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13,
2019). According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, an IDF aircraft attacked several
operatives of the PIJ rocket network in the southern Gaza Strip while they were
launching rockets (IDF’s Twitter account, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative of the PIJ military wing’s Khan
Younes Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
Haitham al-Bakri (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Yousef Rizk Khalil Abu Kamil:
Personal information: 35 years old (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
From the Gaza neighborhood of Al-Daraj (Twitter account of his cousin, abokmail-3bod,
November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack in the Al-
Zarqa area (in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood) in Gaza City (Al-Quds Brigades website,
November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was an operative of the PIJ military wing’s Gaza
Brigade (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019).
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Yousef Abu Kamil (Al-Quds Brigades website, November 13, 2019)
Hamas fatalities
Islam Raafat Mohammed Ayad:
Personal information: 24 years old. Resident of the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood in
east Gaza City (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November 13, 2019).
Served as an imam in the Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood
(website of the Gaza Strip Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf), November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed in an attack on November 13, 2019, while
riding a motorcycle near his home in the vicinity of Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Al-
Zeitoun neighborhood (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November
13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: His body was wrapped in the Hamas flag during his
funeral (Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 13, 2019).
Right: Islam Ayad (website of the Gaza Strip Ministry of Endowments, November 13, 2019). Left: His body wrapped with the Hamas flag during his funeral and that of his father and brother
(Twitter account of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 13, 2019)
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Ahmed Ayman Fathi Abdel Aal:
Personal information: 23 years old (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human
Rights, November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack against a
building owned by his father in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of
the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: Hamas’s military wing Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades
announced that Ahmed Ayman Abdel Aal was one of its operatives (Filastin al-Aan,
November 15, 2019). In the funeral of Ahmed and his two brothers, one of the bodies
was wrapped in the Hamas flag while the other two bodies were wrapped in the
Palestinian flag, which was later replaced with the Hamas flag (Gaza Press Twitter
account, November 13, 2019; Shehab Facebook page, November 13, 2019).
Ahmed Abdel Aal in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam uniform (Filastin al-Aan, November 15, 2019)
Ibrahim Ayman Fathi Abdel Aal:
Personal information: 17 years old (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human
Rights, November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack against a
building owned by his father in Al-Tuffah neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of the
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November 13, 2019). His two brothers were killed
along with him.
Organizational affiliation: Unclear.
Ismail Ayman Fathi Abdel Aal:
Personal information: 16 years old (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human
Rights, November 13, 2019).
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Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack against a
building owned by his father in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of
the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: Unclear.
Right: The bodies of the three brothers during the funeral prayers in the mosque (Gaza Press Twitter account, November 13, 2019). Left: The bodies wrapped in the Hamas flag during the
funeral procession (Shehab Facebook page, November 13, 2019)
Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) / Salah al-Din Brigades
Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Moammar:
Personal information: 25 years old (website of the PRC’s military wing, November
13, 2019) from Rafah (Twitter account of journalist Baker Nofal, November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack in east
Rafah (website of the PRC’s military wing, November 13, 2019; Twitter account of
journalist Baker Nofal, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: Operative in the rocket unit of the Rafah Brigade in the
PRC’s military wing, Salah al-Din Brigades (website of the PRC’s military wing,
November 13, 2019).
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Mohammed Hassan Moammar (website of the PRC’s military wing, November 13, 2019)
Ahmad Hassan Yousef al-Kurdi:
Personal information: 25 years old (website of the PRC’s military wing, November
13, 2019) from Rafah (Twitter account of journalist Baker Nofal, November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed on November 13, 2019, in an attack in east
Rafah (website of the PRC’s military wing, November 13, 2019; Twitter account of
journalist Baker Nofal, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: Operative in the rocket unit of the Rafah Brigade in the
PRC’s military wing, Salah al-Din Brigades (website of the PRC’s military wing,
November 13, 2019).
Ahmad al-Kurdi (website of the PRC’s military wing, November 13, 2019)
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Fatah
Mohammad Attia Musleh Hamouda:
Personal information: 20 years old. Resident of Jabaliya.
Circumstances of death: He was killed in an IDF attack on November 12, 2019,
against two operatives riding on a motorcycle in west Beit Lahiya (PalToday,
November 12, 2019; i24NEWS website, November 12, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The Fatah branch in the northern Gaza Strip issued a
death notice, which stated that Hamouda had been one of its operatives
(fateh.m.n.north.gaza Facebook page, November 12, 2019).
Right: Fatah’s death notice for Hamouda (Facebook page of Osama al-Shawish, November 12, 2019). Left: Hamouda’s body wrapped in the Fatah flag in his funeral in Jabaliya
(Facebook page of Ahmad bin Mahmoud, November 12, 2019)
Raafat Mohammed Salman Ayad:
Personal information: 54 years old (Maan, November 13, 2019) or 50 years old.
Resident of the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of the Al-Mezan
Center for Human Rights, November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: He was killed in an IDF attack on November 13, 2019, while
riding a motorcycle near his home, in the vicinity of Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Al-
Zeitoun neighborhood (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November
13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: He was a former officer in Fatah’s Force 17 (the PA
Presidential Guard). His body was wrapped in the Fatah flag (Fatah’s official Facebook
page, November 13, 2019).
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Right: Raafat Ayad (Fatah’s official Facebook page, November 13, 2019). Left: His body wrapped in the Fatah flag, in the funeral of Raafat and his two sons (Twitter account of journalist Hassan
Aslih, November 13, 2019)
Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade (Fatah splinter network)
Wael Abdul Aziz Abdullah Abdul Nabi (Abu al-Abd):
Personal information: 43 years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF aircraft attack in the northern Gaza Strip
on November 12, 2019. He was an operative in a squad that launched rockets at
Israeli territory (IDF Twitter account, November 12, 2019). The Palestinian media
reported that he had been killed in an attack on a “resistance” post in northern Beit
Lahiya (Dunia al-Watan, November 12, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade
(a Fatah splinter network) announced that he had been the commander of the rocket
unit (website of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade, November 12,
2019).
Rani Fayez Ragab Abu Nasr (Abu Osama):
Personal information: 35 years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF aircraft attack in the northern Gaza Strip
on November 12, 2019. He was an operative in a squad that launched rockets at
Israeli territory (IDF Twitter account, November 12, 2019). The Palestinian media
reported that he had been killed in an attack on a “resistance” post in northern Beit
Lahiya (Dunia al-Watan, November 12, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade
(a Fatah splinter network) announced that he had been a member of the rocket unit
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(website of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade, November 12,
2019).
Jihad Ayman Ahmed Abu Khater:
Personal information: 22 years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF aircraft attack in the northern Gaza Strip
on November 12, 2019. He was an operative in a squad that launched rockets at
Israeli territory (IDF Twitter account, November 12, 2019). The Palestinian media
reported that he had been killed in an attack on a “resistance” post in northern Beit
Lahiya (Dunia al-Watan, November 12, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade
(a Fatah splinter group) announced that he had been a member of the rocket unit
(website of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade, November 12,
2019).
Right: Jihad Abu Khater (Abu Ilyas), Wael Abdul Nabi (Abu al-Abd), and Rani Abu Nasr (Abu Osama) (website of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades / Nidal al-Amoudi Brigade, November 12, 2019)
Civilians
Asma Mohammed Hassan Abu Atta:
Personal information: 39 years old. Wife of Bahaa Abu al-Atta, commander of the
Al-Quds Brigades’ Northern Brigade.
Circumstances of death: Died on November 12, 2019, in a targeted killing of Abu
Atta in a building in the Al-Shejaiyah neighborhood where Bahaa Abu al-Atta was
staying.
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Amir Raafat Mohammed Ayad:
Personal information: boy, 8 or 9 years old. Resident of the Al-Zeitoun
neighborhood in east Gaza City (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights,
November 13, 2019).
Circumstances of death: Killed in an attack on November 13, 2019, while riding a
motorcycle near his home in the vicinity of Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Al-Zeitoun
neighborhood (website of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, November 13, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: His family is apparently affiliated with Hamas. His body
was wrapped in the Hamas flag during his funeral (Twitter account of journalist Hassan
Aslih, November 13, 2019).
The house of Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family
On November 14, 2019, the IDF attacked a house in Deir al-Balah. Eight members of the
same family were killed in the attack, seven of them civilians, as a result of mistaken
identification of the attacked target.1 The Israeli media reported that the IDF was investigating
the incident (Walla, November 15, 2019). Following are the names of the fatalities and
preliminary information about them.
The house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah after the attack (Facebook
page of journalist Hassan Aslih, November 14, 2019)
Rasmi Salem Odeh al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Also referred to in the media as Rasmi Abu Malhous
(PALINFO, November 14, 2019). 45 years old.
1 On November 22, 2019, the spokesman of the Gaza Ministry of Health announced that Mohammed Salem Odeh al-Sawarkah had died of his wounds. Thus, the number of family members who were killed by mistake in Rafah rose to 9, and the overall number of fatalities to 35.
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Circumstances of death: Killed in an attack on the house of the Abu Malhous family
in Deir al-Balah. Rami Abu Malhous and his family were living in the house, as well as
his brother Sa’id Abu Malhous and his family (Facebook page of the clan council of the
Al-Sawarkah tribe, November 14, 2019).
Organizational affiliation: The IDF Spokesman for the Arab media presented Abu
Malhous as a senior operative in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Facebook page of the
IDF Spokesman for the Arab media, November 14, 2019). PIJ Spokesman Daoud Shehab
said that Rasmi Abu Malhous was neither a commander nor senior figure in the
Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The spokesman added that he was known in his area as a PIJ
member. On the other hand, neighbors of the family said that Rasmi Abu Malhous was
an officer in the Military Police of the Palestinian Authority (AFP, November 14, 2019).
Residents of the neighborhood said that Rasmi Abu Malhous was not affiliated with any
military faction but rather he was working in the Palestinian Authority (Al-Hayat al-
Jadida, November 14, 2019). The Fatah branch in the Central Gaza Strip Province issued
a death notice for Rasmi Abu Malhous and his family. It stated that he was a Fatah
operative and one of the Military Intelligence Apparatus commanders (Facebook page
of the Fatah branch in the Central Gaza Strip Province, November 14, 2019).
Right: Rasmi Abu Malhous according to the IDF Spokesman for the Arab media (Facebook page of the IDF Spokesman for the Arab media, November 14, 2019). Left: Rasmi Abu Malhous according to the Fatah branch in the Central Gaza Strip Province (Facebook page of the Fatah branch in the
Central Gaza Strip Province, November 14, 2019)
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Three bodies of the Abu Malhous family wrapped in the PIJ flag and the rest in the Fatah flag (Shehab Facebook page, November 14, 2019)
Maryam Salem Nasser al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Also referred to in the media as Maryam Abu Malhous. 45
years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF attack on November 14, 2019, against the
house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah.
Yousra Mohammed Awwad al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Also referred to in the media as Yousra Abu Malhous. 39
years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF attack on November 14, 2019, against the
house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah.
Muath Mohammed Salem al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Also referred to in the media as Wasim Abu Malhous. 13
years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF attack on November 14, 2019, against the
house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah.
Muhannad Rasmi Salem al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Also referred to in the media as Muhannad Abu Malhous. 12
years old.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF attack on November 14, 2019, against the
house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah.
Firas Mohammed Salem al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Boy. His age was not mentioned.
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Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF attack on November 14, 2019, against the
house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah.
Salem Mohammed Salem al-Sawarkah:
Personal information: Boy. His age was not mentioned.
Circumstances of death: Killed in an IDF attack on November 14, 2019, against the
house of the Abu Malhous (Al-Sawarkah) family in Deir al-Balah.